Quinto trusts his instincts for good causes, Spock

NEW YORK (AP) — Zachary Quinto might be headed into other worldly places this summer in “Star Trek Into Darkness,” but he says a social issue that’s near and dear to him is taking care of the earth.

He turns off the water when he is brushing his teeth and shaving, and unplugs all his chargers when they are not in use. It’s the little things that are going to add up, he said in a phone interview.

Quinto is serving with Alanis Morissette as Kiehl’s Earth Day ambassadors in the beauty brand’s fifth year working with Recycle Across America. The effort aims to standardize recycling labels and collect empty grooming-product jars, and Quinto designed a limited-edition label for facial cream that serves as a fundraiser.

“I felt inspired by this organization. It’s trying to make a tangible difference. Sometimes part of the challenge of getting involved in a cause is when it’s abstract,” Quinto said.

Not that charities and causes aren’t asking. Quinto, also a star of TV’s “Heroes,” said he can feel his celebrity on the rise in the number of requests he’s getting to use his name and attend events. For him, though, the connection has to make sense, he said, ticking off elder care, animal welfare and Hurricane Sandy recovery as other issues that he supports. “I try to be judicious and I don’t want to be ubiquitous,” he said.

If not ubiquitous, Qunto will become a lot more familiar in the coming months. The J.J. Abrams interpretation of “Star Trek” already has the franchise’s fans buzzing — and they aren’t shy about giving their opinion to Quinto.

“It’s exciting, and there’s a lot of anticipation,” he said. “I hope it lives up to people’s expectations.”

He said “Star Trek” breeds some of Hollywood’s most loyal fans, and for the most part the diehards have been “pretty respectful and supportive.”

Still, he said he has to play Mr. Spock based on his gut and not how the fans might write the role. “I can’t open myself up to other people’s opinions unless they’re people I know and trust their opinions.”